


Shadows Over the City of Angels

by mitsuru_sama



Category: Persona 3, Persona Series, 逆転裁判 | Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: F/M, Investigations, M/M, Shadow Operatives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-23
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-03 21:28:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10975668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mitsuru_sama/pseuds/mitsuru_sama
Summary: When a series of brutal murders begin to plague Los Angeles the Shadow Operatives take interest. It isn't until Minako Aragaki's uncle, Jun Arisato becomes the chief suspect of these murders, however, that they are called to action. Reserve Members Minako and Shinjiro Aragaki, as well as Ken Amada travel to Los Angeles to take on the case. But what seems to be a simple case of overrun shadows, becomes much more sinister.





	Shadows Over the City of Angels

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first time writing in many years, so please forgive me if this isn't up to snuff. I hope you enjoy it!

She stepped off the plane and in to the bright sunlight of Los Angeles, home at last. She had been born in Japan, but following the death of her parents at age 7, her Aunt and Uncle moved her to Californa. She wouldn’t return to Japan until she was 16 years old. She’d spent the past 17 years traveling between Japan and South Korea. Now finally things had come full circle. She only wished her visit could be under better circumstances.

Minako Aragaki, was a Shadow Operative. What was once an unofficial department of the police force in Japan, made up only of her and her high school club mates had become an actual branch of Interpol that was nearly 30 operatives strong. The Shadow Operatives investigated and resolved matters that were not of the natural world. Not aliens, not ghosts, but shadows. Representations of the human mind and strong (usually negative) emotions. When a community’s collective consciousness became tumultuous shadows tended to cause trouble. That’s where the operatives came in, using Personas, manifestations of the masks people wear to face hardships, to rid the area of shadows and the like. 

It certainly wasn’t an easy job, especially since it had to be done entirely in secrecy, but Minako considered herself lucky to be doing it. She was technically only a reserve member, meant only to serve as backup, but in this instance she had been called to action.

A series of brutal murders had plagued the streets of Los Angeles. People had been torn limb from limb and left in pieces scattered about. Minako had been content to let one of the other operatives handle it, after all she was no longer the eager, reckless teenager she once had been. She was 34 years old, with a successful career and a family to take care of. She had a lot to lose, but not as much as the man currently standing trial for murdering the shadow’s victims. Her uncle, Jun Arisato.

The whole situation had been a nightmare. She had been in the middle of practice when one of her employees ran in suddenly with a grim look on her face. The girl sullenly handed a phone to Minako, on the other line was her inconsolable Aunt Hilda. One of the murders that the Shadow Operatives were looking in to, had been pinned on the man who discovered one of the bodies, which just so happened to be her Uncle. He had no alibi, he had access to what they believed was the murder weapon, and he was at the scene covered in the victim's blood. The only thing they couldn’t find was motive. Though that didn’t seem to matter to the authorities.

There was only one person that Minako trusted with clearing her Uncle’s name, and that was her.

“Hey, we should hustle if we want to make it to the Prosecutor’s Office before the trial starts,” said to her fellow operative and friend, Ken Amada. He looked perhaps more concerned than Minako. Though he hadn’t been raised by her Uncle like she was, the two certainly were close.

Her husband Shinjiro nodded in agreement and continued forward.

The trio were all reserve corps Shadow Operatives and rarely worked together, but Minako’s companions both volunteered when they heard about the situation.

A pit was forming in Minako’s stomach as they all made their way through the airport and to baggage claim. Every turn of the machine that didn’t provide her luggage and her go ahead to leave made the pit grow deeper. 

After they all secured their bags they had to pick up a rental car and look at directions to the Prosecutor’s office. In all, it was about an hour before they arrived at their destination. They didn’t even bother to drop off their luggage as the trial was due to start in 45 minutes. 

Minako glanced at herself, her friend, and her husband. They hardly looked like agents of Interpol. They looked like tourists. Minako dressed in a pale blue hoodie and rolled up jeans with only her trusted brown leather satchel slung over her shoulder. Ken in his usual black leather jacket over an orange tee and grey jeans. Shinjiro in his trademark maroon pea coat and black pants. After all these years she still couldn’t convince him to alter his wardrobe.

With trepidation in her heart she lead the small group up the steps and into the building. The interior was much more impressive than the exterior. The lobby had wonderful woodwork and checkered tiles, though Minako didn’t have much time to admire the decorating. She had work to do.

Ken quickly approached the visitor’s desk where several employees were waiting. He chose an older woman in a violet pant suit who looked to be invested in some sort of crossword puzzle.

“Excuse me ma’am, we would like to speak with the Chief Prosecutor,” Ken said politely. He had always sounded more mature than he ought to, even as a child.

The woman looked up slightly surprised, “Mr. Edgeworth? Do you have an appointment?”

“What does she want?” Shinjiro asked in Japanese, his English was still pretty basic.

“She wants to know if we have an appointment,” replied Ken, “Don’t worry I’ll take care of it.”

Ken pulled out his Interpol badge, “We don’t need an appointment, the matter is urgent.”

The woman at the desk eyed his badge carefully, “All of you are with Interpol?”

“Yes,” said Minako, “And it’s imperative that we speak with the Chief Prosecutor before the Arisato trial starts.”

The woman seemed conflicted as to whether or not take them seriously.

“Please, it’s very important,” insisted Ken.

The woman sighed, and dialed a number on her phone, “Hello Mr. Edgeworth, there are some investigators here to see you…yes I know the trial starts soon, they’re from Interpol and they say it’s urgent…yes, I’ll send them up.” The woman hung up the phone, “Prosecutor Edgeworth’s Office is on the 5th floor, the door at the end of the hallway. Please hurry, he’s a very busy man.”

Ken thanked her, Minako and Shinjiro nodded.

“That went better than we planned,” Shinjiro grumbled.

“It’s not over yet,” Minako reminded him.

To be honest they had expected to be stopped at the lobby, and that they would have to call their leader and old friend, Misturu Kirijo, to get them in.

The trio were silent as the elevator ascended. When the doors opened Minako’s heart nearly stopped. It occurred to her that she was way out of her depth. She might be an agent of Interpol but she knew next to nothing of the law. Mitsuru had assured her that what they were about to do was well within their legal right, but she was sure that the Prosecutor’s Office wasn’t going to take the order without a fight. Instinctively she reached out and grabbed her husband’s hand, but dropped it just as quickly. She was on the job, this was no time for holding hands. 

“Calm down,” Shinjiro said, “We’re just here to give the order, nothing more. We walk in, we talk, we walk out.”

Minako nodded and swallowed hard. What was with her? She had no issue performing in front of thousands of people, but small confrontations like this always made her nervous.

They reached the door to the Chief Prosecutor’s office and knocked. Almost immediately a voice from within ushered them inside.

Ken pushed to door open slowly.

They were unsure of what to expect from the Chief Prosecutor. What they found reassured them somewhat. The Prosecutor was a man who looked to be in his mid 30’s with silver hair and glasses. He wore a maroon suit jacket and a big white cravat. He looked unperturbed by their intrusion.

“Prosecutor Edgeworth, hello. My name is Ken Amada and these are my associates, Minako and Shinjiro Aragaki…” Ken began.

Edgeworth held up a hand to stop him, “There’s no need for pleasantries, my secretary tells me that you’re from Interpol, and that the matter is urgent. So please, just tell me what’s going on.”

Minako dug around in her bag for a moment before producing a small file, “This is an order, to postpone the Arisato Trial pending further investigation. It’s been signed by the Attorney General.”

The Chief Prosecutor seemed to pale as he reached out and took the file. He examined it carefully before placing it down on his desk, “What pray tell, is your reasoning for postponing the trial? And why have Interpol agents delivered this order to me rather than an officer of the court?”

“We have reason to believe that the Police of this city are ill equipped to handle this case, so we will be conducting our own investigation. And because the subject of the investigation is of a sensitive nature, we have to keep all things confidential. Only you, the Attorney General, and the detectives in charge of this case can know that we are involved,” Explained Ken.

“What about this investigation is so sensitive to demand this level of secrecy? It’s a murder case, one of the more simple that this Office has seen in recent years,” Edgeworth asked. He had folded his hands in front of him on the desk.

“I’m afraid, that we can’t tell you what the nature of our investigation is, even the police won’t know what we’re looking for. If we find what we need, we’ll inform the Attorney General and the charges against Jun Arisato will be dropped. If we find nothing, then the trial will proceed as planned,” Minako said. Admitting out loud that if they failed to find evidence of shadow involvement would mean putting her Uncle back on trial terrified her.

The Chief Prosecutor’s expression remained stoic, but Minako could sense his frustration. “It is not the standard procedure of Interpol to hijack investigations and postpone trials, their job is to facilitate cooperation between Police Institutions. Interpol Agents do not even have the power to make arrests on their own. Just who are you all?” Edgeworth asked.

“We aren’t ordinary Interpol Agents, we may not be able to make arrests, but in this case we may be the only ones capable of finding the truth,” Ken said back.

“Are you saying that you have evidence proving Jun Arisato’s innocence? If so I would encourage you to hand it over rather than simply postponing the trial. It would save us all time and resources.” Edgeworth said.

Minako shook her head, “The Attorney General has ordered us to investigate, until we have all the facts we won’t be handing over anything, and certainly not to you.”

Edgeworth stood up from his chair and placed his hands on his desk, “You can’t seriously plan to keep the Prosecutor’s Office and the Police in the dark. If there’s another suspect we need to know!”

“The only people who need to know what’s happening, do know. As frustrating as this must be for you, you and the police, do not need to know,” Ken responded, “If that’s all, we have to go.”

Ken nodded to Shinjiro and the older man placed a hand on the small Minako’s back and lead her out of the room.

Ken waited a moment before following them out, “Do everyone a favor and stay out of our way. We’ll make sure that justice is done.”


End file.
